A new survey by the Pew Research Centre finds that across 36 countries, a median of only 45 percent of those surveyed view India positively, compared with 41 percent who view it negatively. Just three years ago, a Pew survey of 23 countries found a much larger gap between positive (46 percent) and negative (34 percent) views of the country. Americans' favourability toward India has declined sharply over time. Forty-five percent of Americans today view the country favourably, while 50 percent view it unfavourably.

According to Pew, "these ratings are some of the lowest since 2008," when the think tank began asking this question. In 2008, nearly two-thirds of Americans surveyed had favourable views of India, the Wall Street Journal reported. Among Americans aged 18 to 29, 56 percent hold an unfavourable opinion of India. The survey also reveals a partisan divide. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning Americans, 55 percent hold an unfavourable opinion of India, while only 42 percent view it favourably.

Among Democrats and Democratic leaners, those with a favourable view of India (50 percent) slightly outnumber those with an unfavourable view (47 percent). In a phone interview, Paul Staniland, a political scientist at the University of Chicago, cautioned against overestimating the effect of public opinion surveys on US foreign policy. Nonetheless, how a country is perceived matters. "A politician or a bureaucrat thinking, 'Do I want to stick my neck out for a particular country?' may decide against it," said Staniland.

Favourable public opinion has long undergirded close US ties with its traditional allies in Western Europe, East Asia and Canada. If India's image continues to slide, the strong bipartisan consensus on Capitol Hill to strengthen US-India ties could erode. An unpopular India would also undercut arguments for closer cooperation between the US and India in the developing world. It could also undermine public support for the Quad, an informal group consisting of the US, India, Japan and Australia.